1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to telecommunications and, in particular, to call party identification. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to time based regulation of use of a telephone line.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telephone service has created communication channels worldwide, and those channels continue to expand with the advent of cellular and other wireless services. A person can simply take a telephone off-hook and dial a destination number or press a send button and be connected to a telephone line around the world.
General telephone service for local calls is often provided at a flat rate. Other telephone services, such as long distance service, are often billed by the minute or at a flat rate in addition to the charges for local service.
Telephone service subscribers may choose to block use of general telephone service and extra telephone services by requiring a passcode or other entry to access the telephone service. In addition, the requirement of a passcode to access telephone service may allow for easier accounting of charges incurred on a telephone line, where each user of the line is provided with an individual passcode to enter and charges are itemized according to passcode.
However, blocking use of service altogether or requiring a passcode entry only provides generic blocking options. Passcode entry does not solve the problem of determining who gets to use a line when multiple people request access at the same time. In addition, blocking use of a service does not solve the problem of when a phone line may be used.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for time based regulation of use of a telephone line. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for determining which caller is allowed use of a telephone line when multiple callers are requesting access.